Nassarius sinusigerus

Nassarius sinusigerus is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the Nassariidae family—the group known as nassa mud snails or dog whelks. Its shell ranges from 6.5 to 12 millimeters in length. This species acts as an opportunistic scavenger. Research in the Gulf of Aqaba has shown it is strongly drawn to organically enriched sediments under fish farm cages, likely because of the greater food supply.

However, its distribution is constrained by poor sediment conditions like anoxia and high sulfide levels. Because of this sensitivity, scientists have proposed using the species’ presence or absence as a bioindicator for sediment quality near aquaculture sites. The snail is found in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean off Madagascar, the waters off the Philippines, and the central Pacific Ocean. In the Gulf of Aqaba, it has been recorded at depths around 24 meters, where it dominates the macrobenthic community close to fish farms.